Category Archives: Task 1

We all read the three chapters, then made notes on them and shared them with one another to ensure nothing was missed before started the presentation. Rachel created a google document for us all to be able to work on the presentation whenever we could.

So, Rachel and I filled most of the information into the powerpoint, simply because we got there before the boys, Aidan then spent most of his time fixing any mistakes we made and ensuring that it was well designed.

Conor did a slide on Joseph Campbell that we clearly copied and pasted. I actually copied and pasted into google and found four sites which had the same information in them, verbatim. Aidan ended up going back into it to fix it, admittedly I found it more amusing than he did.

We then made sure there were good speakers notes for Conor to use, and he was going to print them off so that he could learn them off and practice for Thursday.

Apparently, the presentation ran over in time, the speaker notes were not used, and Conor mainly read off the screen. So we decided that he should present again to try and improve for next time.

A phrase first used by Daniel Garrison Brinton (archaeologist and ethnologist). He studied humans, analysing characteristics of people in relation to others socially and culturally. He introduced the phrase in his book Myths of a New World.

The Trickster is a catalyst character who breaks the rules of nature or of the God’s. Sometimes this character is sly and malicious but more often than not, we know these ‘tricksters’ to be foolish and often comedic characters with unintentional actions resulting in positive effects and a resolved story.

In some cultures the idea of ‘Trickster’ and the ‘Cultural Hero’ can be combined. We can see the differences between Greek and Native American folklore.

Greek Mythology: Prometheus was a Titan who stole fire from the Gods to give to humans.

Native America: A coyote or raven (who were seen as spiritual trickster figures) had stolen fire from Gods.

Slide 3

Carl Jung lived between the 19th and 20th centuries. He was Swiss psychologist who studied into the idea of archetypes and the phrase ‘common unconscious’. By this he refers to the experiences of love, religion, life, struggle, birth, survival, culture… that every individual has stored in their subconscious. These experiences can be recreated in any art form, used and manipulated to generate certain feelings or thoughts towards a character or situation.

Slide 4

The purpose of a Trickster to to apply a comedic approach in bringing a story’s hero as well as an audience back down to earth. The Trickster adds moments of laughter which help tone down the effects of unrelieved tension and suspense which can be emotionally draining. Their actions promote a healthy change or transformation to the situation or characters by drawing attention the absurdity and forcing us to step back and look at a different perspective.

Here we have just a few other examples of some typical archetypes.

Slide 5

What is it: The Ordinary World in one sense is the place you came from last. In life we pass through a succession of Special Worlds which slowly become ordinary as we get used to them.

Comparison: Compared to the Special World, the Ordinary World may seem boring and calm, but the seeds of excitement and challenge can usually be found there.

Function: The hero’s problems and conflicts are already present in the Ordinary World, waiting to be addressed. So it is a platform for issues to be introduced to the audience, and then the Special world is where they are remedied. For example, Shrek lives alone in his swamp and this is seen as ordinary to him until special circumstances occur.

Slide 6

Im going to use the original and final Harry Potter films opening scenes as reference, notice the similarities as well as the application of theories from the chapter ‘Ordinary World’.

‘Before the Beginning’: storytellers may use ritualised phrases such as “in a land far, far away” to set the tone, the title itself could imply what the story could be about, even the atmosphere could be created prior to viewing a film in the cinema due to promotion or lighting.

‘Title’: could be a multi-level metaphor that is woven throughout the film

‘Opening Scene’: creates the mood and suggest the future direction of the story

‘Prologue’: may give the audience some of the backstory or information that will help ease them into the world

Point of world

‘Contrast’ : heightens the dramatic change when transferred from the ordinary world to the special one e.g. James and The Giant Peach. From live action to stop-motion.

‘Foreshadowing’: is when the ordinary world is used to create a small model of the special one that can hint at impending battles or decisions that will be encountered

‘Introducing dramatic question’: use the original world to pose different about the hero such as their motivations and capabilities, and is used to propel the plot

‘Problems’: the hero will face inner (personal) problems to solve and then encounter outer problems that encapsulates the entire plot.

‘Entrance’: this is what establishes the character to the audience and is when the audience should become invested in the character- regardless of their likeability- they must be RELATABLE e.g. Jack Naylor in Holby City.

Slide 7

The hero

Introduction:

The identification and how the hero is lacking are both important areas that enable the audience to establish a rapport with the hero as they have some depth, commonalities and allows the audience to feel sympathy for hero who feels something missing from their life.

Tragic flaws: commonality in Greek mythology, that heroes have a fatal fault that leads to their destruction despite whatever redeeming qualities. For example, Annabeth Chase has the flaw of hubris (pride) which almost destroys Olympus as she refuses to believe she is mistaken.

Wounded heroes: adds another dimension to the character, but can be subtly alluded to, be it emotional or physical in nature.

Stakes: entices the audience if their will be large consequences for failure.Many scripts fail due to the stakes being too small.

Backstory & Exposition: The backstory is what got the character to the beginning point of the story, the exposition is the way in which the necessary backstory and other information is revealed. Both are hard to do well, but it is better if the audience must become involved and piece together information themselves.

Theme: what is the story about, and what will the audience take away from the experience?

Questioning the journey: look at how other media unfolds a story, create a personal history for you character, create a timeline of events, how is the hero lacking in a capacity, make points of backstory/exposition that the audience needs to know, and do different cultures or genders have different needs to be fulfilled by a story?

Slide 8

Room for overspill if speaking is too long from slide 7

Slide 9

Get the story rolling: what is the catalyst?

Some examples.

Synchronicity: string of coincidences that draw attention to the need for change

Temptation: the allure of a goal that will prompt action from the hero e.g. money

Heralds of change: forces change by posing a question, challenge or statement.

Reconnaissance: could be the villain asking around or checking out the kingdom

Discomfort and disorientation: the call could initially be unappealing but end up better in the long run

Lack or Need: some requirement must be met whether by the hero, or society, prompting action to be taken.

No more options: the normal methods of surviving are no longer sufficient or sustainable, presenting them with the choice of taking action

Multiple Calls: It is possible that Heroes will be called multiple times to face their destiny, if they are reluctant, for example in Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief, he is told repeatedly that he is the son of a Greek god before he accepts that he will need to go on a quest.

Questioning the Journey: First of examine how other films or stories address the call, think of any calls that you have been given or have gave to someone else, are there any stories out there without a call, would delaying the call make for interesting or where would the ideal placement be and how should it be presented?

Slide 10

In 1949 Joseph Campbell delved into the field of mythology with his book The Hero With a Thousand Faces. This book was made on the pioneering work of German anthropologist (someone who studies humans) Adolph Bastian who’s idea was that myths from all around the world are built up on the same basic principles.

Campbell’s offering was for archetypes to be used with the idea to map out the common underlying structure behind religion & myth. He gave this idea in The Hero With a Thousand Faces, which we are given examples from cultures worldwide throughout history.

Carl Jung, a Swiss psychiatrist named the elementary ideas as “archetypes” which he believed were key elements not only of the unconscious mind, but of a collective one also. In other words, he believed that everyone in the universe is born with the same basic subconscious similar to that of a “hero” a “mentor” or “quest” and shows how people of different languages can still enjoy the same stories.